Affordable housing

Tony Devenish: You received £3.15 billion for affordable housing in November 2016 and an additional £1.67 billion in March 2018, a total of £4.82 billion. Why have you still failed to allocate up to half a billion pounds, 5 years after you recognised Londoners faced a housing crisis? Why the delay? Please be specific in your answer.

Sadiq Khan: My focus on tackling the housing crisis has led to a step change in delivery in London. In 2019/20, more genuinely affordable homes were started in London than in any year since City Hall records began in 2002 and more council homes were started in London than in any year since 1983. It is normal to have some headroom unallocated at this stage in the Programme, and the targets set by the Government are deliberately designed this way. This ensures that our housing team is poised to take advantage of new, high quality opportunities through continuous market engagement, and this may include deploying grants to increase the proportion of affordable housing on established schemes. New opportunities include homes for the Afghan resettlement offer. I am delighted that we have already confirmed the first allocation to Islington, which will buy back 20 family-sized homes for Afghan arrivals, alongside 60 homes as part of the wider Right to Buy Programme. This would not have been possible if all the money had been allocated.
Headroom in the Programme also gives us the flexibility to respond to sudden market changes, and to support the sector during an unexpected crisis such as a global pandemic. I am proud of how our housing team is working to ensure that the Programme provides genuinely affordable homes for Londoners. As of August2021, the Programme had delivered 72,550 starts and I have hit every single one of the milestones set by the Government. This includes leading the renaissance in council house building, achieved in part because of my decision to focus the additional funds received in 2018 on councils. Our achievements are all the more impressive considering how much more challenging it has become to deliver affordable housing since the Programme was agreed. The Government rightly recognised the impact the pandemic was having, and extended the deadline for starts to March2023, but partners are facing barriers created by both the pandemic and Brexit, including rising construction costs, supply chain issues and labour shortages. All this is against the backdrop of a building safety crisis and climate emergency that are requiring partners to put huge efforts into making sure existing homes are safe and fit for purpose at the same time that they need to increase supply.
I am now delivering two Affordable Housing Programmes in tandem, which shows the confidence the Government has in us. My team has been focusing on a Green allocations for 2021-2026 Programme and I am delighted that the Government has now signed off on the first partnerships. This means the team will now refocus on the continuous market engagement for the remainder of the 2016-2023 Programme.

Tony Devenish: MrMayor, you did not give me a figure in that speech. Why have you still failed to allocate, I believe, half a billion pounds? Surely, that is not headroom. Is it half a billion pounds you failed to misallocate or not allocate?

Sadiq Khan: It is quite clear in my answer to explain why there is unallocated money. The reason why it is unwise--

Tony Devenish: How much, MrMayor, please?

Sadiq Khan: -- the reason why it is unwise to give a figure--

Tony Devenish: I am running out of time, sorry.

Sadiq Khan: You clearly are. The reason why it is unwise to give a figure is because you are giving commercially sensitive information to developers, who will now know how much money is left and can flex their bid because they know how much money is left. There is a very good reason why the information is not made public. I have made public the number of starts we have had and every milestone the Government has said. We are negotiating with developers, those councils, housing associations and others in relation to the unallocated monies to make sure we meet the additional milestones. The target is 116,000 starts by March2023 and so far, every milestone set by the Government has been met.

Private E-scooters on the Transport Network

Caroline Pidgeon: What are you doing to reduce the number of illegal, privately owned e-scooters being ridden on London’s roads and pavements?

Sadiq Khan: I take safety concerns related to the use of e-scooters very seriously. In the past year, four people have been killed or seriously injured by the illegal use of privately-owned e-scooters; therefore, this is not a trivial issue. Riding a privately-owned e-scooter on public roads and pavements is - and remains - illegal. TfL’s rental scheme provides the only way to legally ride an e-scooter in public in London, a point that has been made clear in all public communications related to the scheme. It is illegal to ride any e-scooter on the pavement. Ignoring this carries the risk of fines and prosecution. This could include a £300 fixed penalty notice, six penalty points on a rider’s driving licence for riding with no insurance, and seizure of the e-scooter.
The enforcement response to the illegal use of privately-owned e-scooters is led by the police. The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), together with the City of London Police and the British Transport Police (BTP), has been enforcing this in London while working alongside TfL where appropriate. The MPS has developed an officer training package on how to deal with the illegal use of private e-scooters and this has enabled teams across the MPS to undertake enforcement activity. This includes the Roads and Transport Policing Command, Parks Police and Violent Crime Taskforce along with Local Policing Teams and
Safer Transport Teams.
For example, through June, the MPS Roads and Transport Policing Command, which is jointly funded by TfL and the MPS, ran an operation targeting illegal e-scooter use, which led to a record 1,103 unlawful e-scooters being seized in a single month. Operation Hornet, the MPS road safety operation focused on education, has now been running for over a year. Repeated issues can lead to enforcement activity, including enforcing against activities such as riding e-scooters on pavements. TfL’s e-scooter rental trial is ongoing and one of the main aims of this scheme is to promote safety, helping to ensure operators meet strict minimum standards relating to vehicle design, vehicle maintenance, parking, customer education and training.
While ultimately the legal status of e-scooters is the responsibility of the Department for Transport (DfT), the MPS will continue working with TfL, the BTP and City of London Police to engage with users of privately-owned e-scooters and, where necessary, use enforcement powers to help keep Londoners safe.

Caroline Pidgeon: Thank you very much for your answer. My questions today relate solely to privately-owned e-scooters, not the trial. While I welcome the enforcement activity you have described from the MPS, particularly in June, and also the publicity TfL has on its network against the illegal riding of e-scooters at stations, I am not sure what level of enforcement there really has been since June by the MPS and other police. Will you commit to a robust enforcement programme over the coming months along with TfL action at stations?

Sadiq Khan: I will. Those are the figures that have been checked, but I have some raw figures for other months. I am more than happy to provide the Member with those. The MPS get this, the issue obviously is one of priorities, but you are pushing at an open door and I am more than happy to give more updated figures, the raw ones, and once they have been screened, the final ones as well.

Caroline Pidgeon: Also, real enforcement. Across London every day we are seeing, for example, delivery companies illegally using e-scooters, despite claiming to have a zero-tolerance policy. I have seen Deliveroo riders illegally riding e-scooters on pavements, nearly knocking over pedestrians just down the road near London Bridge. Will you write to these on-demand delivery companies asking them to enforce the law and to keep our pavements safe for pedestrians?

Sadiq Khan: Thank you for bringing that to my attention. I do not want to name the company that you have named. We are writing again. We do, before Christmas, write to retailers and others to remind them in relation to the law around e-scooters. I do not think we have written to delivery companies up until now. Can I take that away as ever a useful suggestion? Any other incidents of companies - because they are illegal - using illegal scooters, please let us know. Not only will we write to them, but we are also going to follow up with the MPS, because they are illegal.

Caroline Pidgeon: Thank you. You have touched on writing to retailers. The sale of e-scooters is critical and particularly in the run-up to Christmas, assuming the stock comes in. In the past LBC and The Times have undertaken these mystery shopping exercises; they have highlighted how retailers are not giving accurate information to customers. Halfords is a great example where they are putting the absolute information there for customers to know. Will you agree to write, not just to the usual retailers, but to look into those private shops that are popping up to ensure they provide the accurate information that the riding of private e-scooters is illegal on pavements and public roads in the capital?

Sadiq Khan: Yes, that is what we have been doing. I am really pleased it has been recognised by the Assembly. Also, I am really pleased you have mentioned a really good retailer, Halfords, doing a good job. That buyer-beware maxim does not really apply because often many buyers do not realise that the e-scooter is illegal, save for a private road. Many of those who buy the illegal e-scooters do not have access to a private road and buy them not realising that, particularly at this time of year with Christmas approaching. We had planned to do another Christmas initiative for the reasons you suggest; those are being worked on now. I will make sure the Walking and Cycling Commissioner, who is responsible for this, hears what has been said in relation to the smaller retailers as well.
The issue is, in relation to online sales, it is not unlawful to sell them. Many of these come from overseas. There are really serious concerns around the quality and safety of some of these. In relation to the retailers, they are not breaking the law by selling them. What we are trying to persuade them to do is exactly what you said, make sure it is big and bold in plain language, “When you are buying this, this is illegal, save for a private road.”

The Building Safety Bill

Anne Clarke: Will the Building Safety Bill make Londoners safe?

Sadiq Khan: The Building Safety Bill is a step in the right direction and I welcome many of the provisions it makes, particularly its emphasis on transparency. I have repeatedly called for a statutory requirement for landlords to share building safety information with residents and I am pleased the Government will now implement this through the Bill.
However, other elements of the Bill are very disappointing. The Bill only covers buildings over 18metres in height. We know that height is not the only risk factor when it comes to fire safety, and the Bill will create a two-tier system where shorter buildings are not subject to sufficient scrutiny. Crucially, supported accommodation is not covered. This is particularly concerning as the vulnerability of some residents can make it harder for them to safely evacuate in the event of a fire. I will continue to call on the Government to look at risk factors beyond height.
The Bill also falls far short of the intervention we need to protect leaseholders from having to cover the cost of mistakes they had no role in causing. Over four years on from the Grenfell Tower fire, thousands of Londoners continue to live in a state of fear and anxiety over the safety of their homes and the cost of putting right past failures. That is why I am supporting cross-party efforts to propose amendments that strengthen the Bill, so leaseholders are protected from these costs. The Bill provides an opportunity to restore public confidence in the regulatory system that is meant to keep our buildings safe and I would urge the Government to take that opportunity.

Anne Clarke: Thank you, MrMayor, and I completely agree with you about the failure to protect buildings that are under 18metres, which is in fact most of our buildings in London that are impacted by this scandal. When do you expect that all of the 262 high-rise buildings in London that have dangerous aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding systems will be remediated?

Sadiq Khan: Not all of the 262 high-rise buildings in London are eligible for the funding. We expect the vast majority to have had their ACM removed and completed the works done by the end of this year. As I explained in my answer, the problem is many of them are not eligible and so they will still have the ACM, which is obviously a source of concern.

Anne Clarke: Yes, I am really concerned about it. Can you explain why the proposed residential property developer tax does not go far enough and how your £3billion developer levy would protect leaseholders from unfair costs in London?

Sadiq Khan: One of the things we suggested to the Government - and by the way, a number of developers agree with this - is over the last ten years many developers have made a lot of profit from building homes. I have nothing against profit; it is a good thing. What the Government could do is have a one-off levy of the profits made in the last ten years, say 10% of profits over the last ten years, and that could contribute towards remediating some of these dangerous buildings. We estimate that sort of levy would deliver, roughly speaking, £3billion as a one-off contribution towards remediating buildings that residents had no role in being responsible for them being defective.
The Government has gone a partial way to taking on board my suggestion, but the problem with the Government’s solutions of compromise is they will not go far enough. What we need the Government to do is to make sure, in the absence of taxpayer assistance and in the absence of leaseholder assistance, there are other ways to pay this bill. The Government should step in, I think, and pay the bill to rectify the defects and then claw it back from developers, whether it is the developer’s levy I have suggested, or another form of contribution from developers.

London and the 2021 Spending Review

Leonie Cooper: What does London need from the Spending Review?

Sadiq Khan: London accounts for a quarter of the UK’s economic output and contributes a net £38.7billion to the Treasury. Continued investment in London is pivotal to help deliver the Government’s ambitions for growing the economy and levelling up across the country, but London is the most unequal region in the UK. London itself needs levelling up and we need government support to do that. My submission to the Spending Review calls for the funding and powers to not only support London’s long-term recovery but to deliver growth and reduce inequality. A key component of our recovery is to keep people safe and keep London moving, so we need to see sustainable, long-term investment in the MPS and TfL. We need to boost employment and help those sectors that have been hit hardest by the pandemic, which includes skills training and encouraging international visitors back to London. We need government support to deliver key infrastructure that will unlock more homes for Londoners in places like Old Oak and Thamesmead. To achieve a green recovery and reach net zero, we need further investment and I want the Government to help me to deliver a retrofit revolution across London.

Léonie Cooper: Thank you, MrMayor, and can I say thank you for enquiring about AssemblyMemberDuvall again earlier on today? This would have been a question from him, but he is now at home, is recovering, sends his regards to everybody here and also sends Happy Birthday to you. I do not think he was planning to sing and we are all relieved about that.
Coming back to the substance of the question, we hear a lot about levelling up and about government support for a number of different regions. It is very encouraging to hear that you are working with the M10, the ten-mayor cross-party group. Do you think that the Government really understands how much London can contribute to the nation’s recovery? I am still concerned. We have severe pockets of deprivation in London, and we have touched on that in many earlier questions. Some people seem to think that we are living in the time of DickWhittington and the streets of London are paved in gold. We sometimes seem to hear that. What can we do to challenge that? What are you able to do in the CSR round to counter that viewpoint?

Sadiq Khan: I think it is an issue for all political parties. It is easy to bash London and I am talking about my own party as well. One of the things we have got to do is educate in a non-patronising way, politicians in Parliament who represent constituencies outside London, firstly that the streets of London are not paved with gold, but secondly, we are in a joint endeavour, which is we want a national recovery. As I said in answer to EllyBaker’s [AM] question, we rely upon the engineers in West Yorkshire, we rely upon the skilled staff in Falkirk and Ballymena and Scarborough to help build our buses, we rely upon the technicians in West Midlands to build our electric taxis, and those in East Midlands to help build the cycles. We create a lot of work for them, but also, we contribute almost £40billion more into the centre than we take back. We are not asking for any special privileges, but you cannot keep knocking the capital city. It is one of the most unpatriotic things you can do and this animosity towards London is misconceived. It is self-defeating and people should stop in all parties and I am talking about my own party as well, and of course the party of the Government. I have got to say, they have got an opportunity with the Budget and Spending Review coming up, to set out a roadmap of how we get a national recovery post this pandemic. The good news is when I speak privately to Members of the Cabinet, they get it. I understand the importance of winning Parliamentary seats in other parts of the country, but the way to do it is not to divide the north versus the south, and the way to do it is not to divide Scotland versus England. The way to do it is to explain how this is a common endeavour and it is patriotic to be proud of the capital city, to recognise that we are in this together and, working together, we could help be a solution to some of the challenges our nation faces rather than be seen as a problem.

Léonie Cooper: Yes, I think that is absolutely right, MrMayor. I do not think you can suggest that because we pay so much into the centre when we negotiate with the Government through the CSR or other mechanisms, we are saying London needs part of the national tax take, given that we put so much in. I would not really describe that as a begging bowl. I wondered if you could say a bit more about TfL, which I think is right at the centre of that discussion. We do all pay in the Vehicle Excise Duty, we do not get an operating grant out for the roads and fares have been hit. Are we going to be able to have some sort of multi-year settlement that is going to help us forward?

Sadiq Khan: Yes, there are two responses. The first response is you are spot on in relation to asking for our fair allocation. When you speak to AndyStreet [Mayor of West Midlands] or AndyBurnham [Mayor of Greater Manchester] or SteveRotheram [Metro Mayor, Liverpool City Region] or the MarvinRees [Mayor of Bristol] or the BenHouchen [Mayor of Tees Valley], they are not asking for preferential treatment. They are asking for more devolution of powers and resources to them because they know their communities better and they think if they had more powers they could contribute even more to the centre. The same goes for London and it is not mission accomplished vis-à-vis devolution to London. You are well-versed with the London Finance Commission report, commissioned by the current Prime Minister and updated by me.
TfL is a good example. Look at the transformation of TfL over the last 21 years since it was devolved to London, an almost fully integrated transport system, and the envy of not just other parts of the country who are trying to copy it, but other parts of the world. We managed to get the guy who ran the transport system in New York and cities in Canada and Australia to run TfL because of the reputation that TfL has. One of the things we have been too reliant upon is fares from passengers to pay for our services.
We have got to change the way the funding for London works, but we need a long-term funding deal because that has limited our ability to procure properly. We cannot get a bargain because we are on six-month deals, but also, we are making short-term decisions, which is good for nobody. Whether you are running a family, a business or TfL, you need to have long-term planning in place. What I say to the Government in a respectful way is, “Look, these short six-month deals work for nobody. This current deal runs out on 11December[2021]. We need a long-term deal”. We have agreed to become - on the revenue side - completely self-sufficient by 2023, and the Government has agreed. Obviously, we will need the support of capital, but if we could have a long-term deal between now and 2023, that would be a start and I think we should have five-year deals and ten-year deals so we can plan properly. You imagine the ability of us to reach a deal with a manufacturer of buses or trains or signalling--

Léonie Cooper: Over five years.

Sadiq Khan: -- if we had a five-year deal or a ten-year deal. We could bring down the costs and get a bargain for Londoners whereas at the moment we cannot.

ULEZ Expansion

Leonie Cooper: The current ULEZ has contributed to 44% reduction in roadside nitrogen dioxide within its existing boundary. The expansion of the ULEZ on 25 October will see the zone become 18 times larger. Who will this affect and what impact will the expansion have on air quality in London?

Sadiq Khan: Thank you, Chair. By the way, I forgot to mention how lovely it is to have people back in the gallery. It really is lovely.
I am excited to be expanding the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) this month as it will bring the significant health benefits of cleaner air to millions of Londoners both inside and outside the zone. It has been opposed by almost half of the Assembly here today. We know from the Central London ULEZ that focusing on emissions works, and that the impacts on air quality can be rapid. 87% of vehicles driving in the zone now meet the standards, up from 39% in February 2017 when the Toxicity Charge (T-Charge), the precursor to the ULEZ, was announced by myself. This has helped reduce toxic nitrogen dioxide (NO2) by nearly half, and fine particulate matter by 27% and carbon emissions by 6%. However, I know pollution is not just a central London problem, which is why I am expanding the zone up to the North and South Circular Roads.
Six in ten households in the expanded zone do not own a car, yet suffer appalling air quality in part caused by polluting vehicles. The expanded ULEZ, in combination with the tougher Low Emission Zone (LEZ) Standards for Heavy Vehicles I introduced earlier this year, will reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from vehicles by 30% across London in 2021. This means 92% of roads London-wide will meet legal limits for NO2 in 2021, reducing the number of people exposed to illegal levels of pollution. The ULEZ expansion is a vital change to help London meet legal limits for air pollution and will set us on track for meeting the newly-revised and even more stringent health-driven World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) as a key part of a wider suite of measures to improve London’s air quality, and tackle the climate emergency, including decarbonising the bus fleet and enabling more walking and cycling.
Importantly, many of the sources of NOx and fine particulates are also sources of carbon emissions, meaning action to reduce emissions from private and public vehicles will help tackle both air pollution and the climate emergency. This holistic approach to improving our health and environment is really important as we approach the vital international climate talks taking place at 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow in a few weeks’ time with London, as ever in recent years, setting a leading example for the rest of the world.

Léonie Cooper: Thank you, MrMayor. I am not sure I need to do any follow-ups to that because that was an extremely comprehensive answer. For me and other Assembly Members who go into primary schools, particularly near the boundary, in my case the South Circular runs through my constituency, and ask a class of small children, “Put up your hand if you use an asthma inhaler,” and watch almost every hand in the class go up. We know that it affects children, but it also affects elderly people, people with pre-existing health conditions, and it also affects minority and low-income Londoners in a disproportionate fashion. As we were saying, it is not just lung problems, it is cardiovascular, asthma and cancer. It has also now been shown that air pollution does not mix well with the COVID virus. Do you think it is possible to overstate the importance of this expansion?

Sadiq Khan: Not at all. When I went to school in the same schools you visit, very few people had asthma pumps, and those that did had quite severe respiratory issues. You mentioned the number of children in the very same schools who now use an asthma pump, the good news is when you were first elected with me in 2016 there were 455 schools in areas where the air was unlawful. That is now down to 14. That shows that progress can be made if we are bold. There will be some who oppose us; we have to take them on. We have to take them on and take the public with us. Those children with permanently stunted lungs, those adults with a whole host of health issues from asthma to dementia to cancer to heart disease, directly linked with poor air quality, those people who have more severe consequences - because of their exposure to air pollution - with COVID, need us to be bold. As long as I am Mayor, I will be bold.

Léonie Cooper: Rather than taking them on, what you have done is you have started consulting about the situation and the need to implement ULEZ from May 2016 and have brought it in gradually with the T-Charge in central London and now expanding it out. One of the things that comes up regularly for me - and I know for other Assembly Members - is the idea that some people should have discounts or there should be special dispensation because they want to get to the Smugglers Way Dump, which is one that comes up regularly for me. Other Assembly Members will have other examples. I am referring them back to the situation with the children and the problems with their lungs. Do you think there is anything else that I can say to people to persuade them about changing their car and not making those journeys in those more-polluting vehicles?

Sadiq Khan: Yes. Some people have to use their vehicles, I understand that. I am realistic. What we have done is, in the absence of any Government help - and by the way the Government are helping Birmingham, Bath, other parts of the country - we have a diesel scrappage scheme. Our scrappage scheme is now north of £61million and it is still open. That is supporting low-income families. That is supporting small businesses. That is supporting charities to move away from their most-polluting vehicles to cleaner forms of vehicles.
What you can say to those people who need their vehicles is, in addition to applying for the scrappage scheme, we have to lobby the Government to help us make a just transition. We want a transition, it has to be just, and that is why we cannot expect the poorest Londoners to carry the burden completely by themselves. I will do what I can from Transport for London (TfL) but all help from central Government is gratefully received.

Léonie Cooper: Thank you very much, MrMayor. We are on a journey to 2030 and cleaning up London’s air has to be part of that.

Children’s education funding

Marina Ahmad: This week is London Challenge Poverty Week and today’s theme is education and childcare. Given your focus on Early Years and inequality, how can London’s children be best supported to ensure that the most deprived children in London receive a good standard of early years education, and are able to catch up on the lost months of education due to the pandemic?

Sadiq Khan: Quality early education promotes social cohesion, allows parents to work and narrows the inequalities gap. Now more than ever, it is essential that all of London’s children get the best start in life and that their parents can access quality childcare that meets their needs. I will do all I can to support families to thrive and succeed, particularly those who are the most vulnerable.
London has a lot to be proud of when it comes to early education, but there are still challenges that need to be addressed. Take-up of funded childcare places for disadvantaged two-year-olds in the capital continues to be below the national average. I remain concerned about the impact of the pandemic on the financial security of childcare providers, especially those in the most deprived neighbourhoods. I am pleased that these important issues are being debated as part of this year’s London Challenge Poverty Week. In fact, my Deputy Mayor for Education and Childcare JoanneMcCartney [AM] is chairing a panel discussion on this subject at the
Childcare Poverty Summit today.
Here in City Hall, we will build upon what we have achieved in my first term, including supporting quality early years leaders, my London Early Years Campaign and my three Early Years Hubs. These work to improve the quality of early years provisions and take-up of free early education. We will soon launch an online toolkit, sharing learning and resources from the hubs, highlighting the impact that collaboration can have.
In my second term, I have launched Strong Early Years London, helping to address the impact of the pandemic. This provides sector-specific business support, hosted on the London Business Hub. It also offers a personal triage service and more intensive interventions for early years providers most at risk. As part of the London Recovery Programme, I have committed funds through the Robust Safety Net recovery mission to raise awareness of childcare offers and entitlements.
Despite very limited powers in this area, I will continue to work with partners to monitor the impact of the pandemic on the youngest Londoners. This includes making the case to the Government for adequate funding for quality early years provision.

Marina Ahmad: Thank you, MrMayor. On the subject of education, this year reports from the National Audit Office and the Institute for Fiscal Studies found that despite the Government’s pledge to level up education, its funding formula has led to the balance of cash moving away from more deprived schools and in fact they have seen the biggest funding cut in 40 years. Will you write to the new Education Secretary to highlight these issues and the fact that inadequate support is now being provided to the most deprived children through the Education Recovery Fund, and ask how this issue will now be taken forward so that children can catch up with their education following the disruption of the pandemic?

Sadiq Khan: Can I thank the AssemblyMember for raising this really important issue. The good news is the new Education Secretary is a good, competent, able politician. I have huge regard for him. He did a brilliant job as the Vaccines Minister and also, he used to be a London councillor and so he understands how important this issue is. I am hoping to meet with him soon and I will make sure I raise the points you have raised when I meet with him because he understands the importance of this helping hand, particularly at early years. I will make the point that the pandemic, as you said and as the evidence suggests, has made things worse. We need to make sure we do not undo the progress made over the last 20 years in London.

Marina Ahmad: Thank you. A survey run by a coalition of parenting and campaigning groups found that one-third of parents using childcare say that childcare payments are bigger than their rent or their mortgage, and that this rises to 47% of those with a Black ethnic background, 42% of those receiving Universal Credit and 40% of the under-30s. What impact has the loss of the Universal Credit uplift had on the ability of Londoners to afford childcare?

Sadiq Khan: The obvious point to make is that a large proportion of those who receive Universal Credit are working and so they have in-work poverty. They are working incredibly hard, and they have overnight seen a £20 cut in the benefits they receive to top up the salary they receive. It is their ability not just to pay for childcare costs; if they can manage childcare costs, they worry about heating costs. If they can pay heating costs, they worry about the additional tax they have to pay from next March and April [2022] because of National Insurance increases as well. That is a big concern that I have.
One million Londoners receive Universal Credit. Due to the biggest cut of social security since the welfare state was set up, we are going to see 130,000 Londoners being driven into poverty. It is a big concern I have. Add to that many of the childcare providers are really struggling because of the pandemic and the numbers and stuff. We could have a childcare desert in London and also Londoners not being able to afford the childcare as well. It is a big concern, particularly when many parents - particularly the mums, who suffer disproportionately versus the dads - want to work and need childcare to do so.

Getting London Moving

Keith Prince: Are you doing everything possible to get London moving?

Sadiq Khan: Clean, safe and reliable public transport as well as better walking and cycling infrastructure are key to a sustainable recovery from the pandemic. TfL is working tirelessly to ensure the transport network remains safe and attractive, including carrying out enhanced cleaning and providing good ventilation. Sampling by Imperial College London continues to find zero traces of coronavirus on TfL’s network. Journeys on the transport network have grown significantly since the easing of restrictions, supported by my Let’s Do London campaign, which brings together leading organisations and venues with a clear message: London is ready to entertain and inspire once again.
TfL continues to promote the safety of the network to business groups, employers, local authorities, and other stakeholders. Extensive customer communications are giving people the confidence to use public transport again and communications and enforcements are being used to support compliance with TfL’s face covering requirement. 75% of Londoners have used public transport in the last month. Weekday Tube ridership is regularly hitting nearly 60% of pre-pandemic levels - the Northern line was heaving this morning as I came in - with buses now at 70% as well. Ridership at weekends is higher, with the Tube reaching over 70% of pre-pandemic levels and buses reaching over 80%.
Having successfully brought all Tube lines back, as I announced earlier today, we are now also promoting the night buses, with more than 100 routes running throughout the night and private hire services and taxis to help keep Londoners safe and comfortable as they travel at night.
Cycling demand is still significantly higher than pre-pandemic, up by 40%. Usage of Santander Cycles is also well above pre-pandemic levels. Last week Santander Cycle hires topped 40,000 in one day, the highest ever in October. This is a testament to our work to make cycling easier and safer, delivering a fivefold increase in protected space for cycling during my first term, building hundreds of kilometres of new cycle routes, and rapidly expanding the network during the pandemic.
TfL’s public transport network continues to expand. I was delighted to open the Northern line extension recently, providing two new step-free stations that have brought parts of south London within 50 minutes of the West End and the City in the first major extension the Tube network has seen this century.

Keith Prince: Thank you, MrMayor. Good morning. For the record, I am on 4,037 steps, just so that you know. You had a chance in the break to bring yours up and you stood there chatting.
While we are on good terms, MrMayor, very quickly, you very kindly before the election agreed to meet with the Association of Relocation Professionals, not just talking about getting London moving but getting people to move to London. You agreed to meet with them. Would you just reaffirm that you are happy to meet with that organisation?

Sadiq Khan: Absolutely, Chair. One of the things we have to do is make sure people are reminded about why London is the greatest in the world to live. I have just checked. It is 4,105.

Keith Prince: Like most of your answers, MrMayor, I struggle to believe that.

Sadiq Khan: Touché.

Keith Prince: MrMayor, as you know, in 11 days’ time you will be expanding the ULEZ, which is going to be 18 times the size that it is at the moment. This is going to be very difficult, especially on those who cannot afford to replace their vehicles. You quite rightly mentioned to my colleague AssemblyMemberHall earlier that if the fund that you currently have for private people runs down you will find a way of financing or putting some more money into that fund.
Of course, the real issue we have at the moment - and I know you are very much aware of it - is around getting drivers and getting goods to and from suppliers. On the date that we have been given here, a number of vehicles that do that ferrying of goods will become non-compliant. I have in the past raised with you this issue that there is a number of businesses that will not be compliant when this comes in.
As you know, currently the scrappage scheme for commercial vehicles has run out of money, but if you can find some money for private people - and we have given you indications on how you might be able to do that - could you not find some funding for commercial vehicles as well, MrMayor, so that we can keep London moving?

Sadiq Khan: Just to remind colleagues, on three occasions I have increased the amount of the scrappage scheme because of demand, which is a good thing, without any help from the Government. I will continue to keep that under review.
I am not hearing of problems with suppliers caused by my policies. I am hearing of problems with suppliers caused by government policies from Brexit to a whole host of issues like heavy goods vehicle (HGV) driver licences not being processed, concerns about the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), fuel prices and so forth, but I will continue to keep all these things under review.
It is the case that we had a scrappage scheme deliberately designed to help those in low-income small businesses, low-income households, small businesses, microbusinesses and charities. To be fair to myself, I telegraphed this intention in 2016 when I ran for Mayor. I made a big song and dance about it in 2017 when I announced the T-Charge, the precursor to the ULEZ. I announced it again when the ULEZ began in 2019 with a big campaign in advance of this mayoral election, and now I have had a massive campaign in advance of 25October this year. It is fair to say people know this is coming.
I have received no representations from businesses that any concern around supply of essential goods is because of the ULEZ expansion, although people are really concerned about supply and haulage caused by policies of the Government.

Keith Prince: You cannot deny that you have never heard about it because I have mentioned it to you on previous occasions, but I shall mention this to the people who contact me, and I will avail them of the fact that you do not think they have a problem. I am sure they will be in touch.
One of the other things, MrMayor, very quickly is that in order to keep London moving, we have to ensure that the bus routes are serving the right areas. I know you do agree with that, but you may or may not be aware of an anomaly in my patch around the 499 bus. I did give your office a heads-up about this particular issue. It runs from east to west down a road called Crow Lane, which connects Romford to Barking and Dagenham, but it cannot run west to east because there is no right turn from Whalebone Lane into Crow Lane. That is part of Barking and Dagenham, which is not in my constituency.
I know that TfL is trying to help but would you also put your weight behind trying to provide a constant service along Crow Lane for the residents?

Sadiq Khan: I am not sure if the Assembly knows this because I do not talk about it much, but buses are quite personal to me.

Keith Prince: You would not be the son of a bus driver by any chance, would you?

Sadiq Khan: Can I thank the Member for his courtesy. He let my office know about this issue. I know he has met with TfL to discuss this. There are issues with borough roads. He raises some really sound points.
Can I suggest that we arrange for TfL to meet with the respective boroughs of Havering and Barking and Dagenham? The issue is to do with, as I understand it, a two-way issue along Crow Lane. Chair, why do we not let TfL, the councils and AssemblyMemberPrince meet? If there is a need for me to directly get involved, I am more than happy to do so, but I am hoping wise heads around the table can resolve this.

Keith Prince: I have had a meeting with them, MrMayor, and I would just like you to put your weight behind it.

Sadiq Khan: Yes. It is really good to see, by the way, an AssemblyMember being a champion for bus services, particularly in outer London where there is a particular need for bus services. Let me follow this up after the meeting you have.

Rent Controls Commission

Sem Moema: What progress has been made on establishing the London Private Rent Commission?

Sadiq Khan: Unlike leaders in other cities around the world where decisions about local affordability measures are devolved, I am not currently permitted to introduce rent controls. That is why I am calling on the Government to give me the powers to reduce private rents and keep them at a more affordable level, alongside a package of measures to make renting more secure. The proposals set out in my blueprint for reforming private renting made clear the steps I would take once I have the powers I need. First, a register of landlords will be set up to collect data and, second, I will establish a commission of renters and other experts, including landlords. The commission will be tasked with designing and implementing the best system of rent control for London and would be an arm’s length body. I am also clear that any system of rent control must be designed for and work for London, and Londoners.

Sem Moema: Thank you, MrMayor. As you know, there are 40% of Londoners set to be living in the private rented sector by 2025, a few years from now, which means that as the largest growing tenure those people in that sector have zero security and protection. You have talked a little bit about how the Commission might work, but how might a control work if it were applied in practice in London? I am also wondering whether or not there would be a cap in particular localities, perhaps along the lines of your London Living Rent, which is set by ward, if those sorts of factors would be taken into account?

Sadiq Khan: Even if we were to start building record numbers of genuinely affordable homes because we got the right support from the Government, it would take years to address the backlog of supply not meeting demand. For the foreseeable future, you are spot on. The tenure which has the biggest number of housing is going to be the private rental market, for the foreseeable future. That is why it is so important to bring around proper regulation in that sector because they have lack of security of tenure and the rents go up, particularly between tenancies as well.
What I do not want to do is from the centre prescribe the model and I think that is unwise to do. What it is far better to do is to set up a separate body, a commission of experts, to firstly identify who all the landlords are and what rents they charge so we get a better assessment. You mentioned geography, but there are other issues around London as well. Once we have got that information, that data will be incredibly useful and from there we set up a commission of experts that include, of course, not only tenants but also landlords. There are some really good landlords, and we must not assume every landlord fails to give security of tenure and that every landlord raises the rent in between tenancies or every year. That is not true. We have also got a new addition which is the Build to Rent sector and some of them are brilliant in relation to security of tenure and the rent is not going up in between tenancies or every year.
Let them have that discussion with us, this arm’s length body, and that will also give security to the building supply. What we do not want to do is scare off new developers as well. I think there is a sweet spot where we can keep the developers happy and the landlords happy and bring about the solutions Londoners need. It means the Government giving us the powers to do that, and I think that is the way for the next few years to resolve the issue of the crisis in the private rental market.

Sem Moema: Yes, I completely agree with you on not wanting to scare off people who are there to provide new homes for the capital. We do have examples from other cities like Paris, Berlin, and smaller cities like Nantes in France as well where there are either biannual or city-set increases, whether it is social or private tenures, and yet those places still manage to build, and they are very high-profile.
As part of that commission, I have been talking to various people across the capital, including the New Economics Foundation and a group of independent barristers and lawyers, who have looked at the economic and the legal modelling theoretically around what a rent control specifically for London might look like. I would really like to have a conversation with you or the Deputy Mayor [for Housing and Residential Development] at a point when that commission is established to perhaps add their voices to some of that modelling, to look at the positives and negatives and how we can overcome some of those concerns that landlords have as well. Finally, North East - Hackney, Islington and Waltham Forest - would be really happy to be part of any pilots as and when they are established, and we will really be keeping a very close watching brief.

Sadiq Khan: Yes, thank you very much. The New Economics Foundation is a
think-tank we have worked with in relation to some of our plans and the blueprint I referred to as well. By the way, in relation to rent controls, we already have them with council house building. Council house building is a form of rent controls. They build the homes, and the rents are controlled and there is security of tenure. London is unique and so I would not want to copy what another city does and bring it here. We kind of know what is working and not working in other parts of the globe as well. I am more than happy always to set up meetings for any Deputy Mayor to meet with Assembly Members. I am sure Tom[Copley] will really look forward to hearing the ideas that you and colleagues have from the legal profession, whom I also hold in high esteem, and the New Economics [Foundation] think-tank as well. Let us do that.

Supporting Londoners in rent arrears

Siân Berry: How are you working to help renters who are in arrears in London?

Sadiq Khan: Vulnerable Londoners now face the triple whammy of the eviction ban being lifted, the Universal Credit uplift being withdrawn and furlough ending, not to mention energy and other costs rising. Many renters are also in arrears and have built up debt. That is why I recently wrote to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to ask her for additional funding for discretionary housing payments. That would at least provide some short-term help for renters as they face this perfect storm, which has been a long time in the making. Even before these challenges, a survey suggested 12% of private renters had accrued arrears since the start of the pandemic, with another 8% expecting to do so. This has been triggered by the economic impacts of COVID, but it could have been avoided if we had an adequate welfare system.
While the Government’s reversal of some previous cuts to the local housing allowance (LHA) last spring was welcome, the rates are still too low for working Londoners, who need benefits to help cover their rent, and many have built up arrears. Worst of all, the benefit cap meant that the Government took away with one hand what it gave with the other. The number of Londoners caught by it and unable to cover their rent more than tripled between February2020 and February2021. With widespread unemployment and the number of jobs in London still at pre-pandemic rates, the cap’s rationale of incentivising people to find work makes less sense than ever. With restrictions on evictions now eased, those in arrears are at risk of homelessness. As they face this traumatic prospect, already stretched council services risk being overwhelmed.
I have provided information to renters on their rights and rolled out training to the police on how to prevent illegal evictions, which some landlords have used to dodge the ban. I have also called on the Government to give renters the financial support they need. This must include higher LHA rates and an end to the benefit cap, grants to clear COVID-related arrears and increased funding for discretionary housing payments. I have also called on the Government to give me the powers to freeze rents for the next two years.
It is ultimately these changes that help protect renters and give them the best chance of securing and progressing in work as part of London’s recovery.

Siân Berry: Thank you very much, MrMayor. I do appreciate the wider work you started to do on renters’ rights and things like rent controls and I think we both agree on that now. I do not want to focus on that today though, and I do want to focus specifically on the arrears that have already been built up. As you said, we have got increased living costs, cuts to benefits and a crisis in many sectors where renters rely on them for work like retail and hospitality. I do not think it is right to let rent debt and potential evictions keep adding to Londoners’ worries. To its credit, the National Residential Landlords Association recognises this too, and it is calling on the Government to not cut Universal Credit and to provide interest-free loans.
Through all this, I have been very clear that the need for support without conditions is there and we need grants to clear the arrears. We have discussed this before; you have been quite careful in your wording and you did just now say that you were keen to see grants to clear arrears. Are you saying that again, loud and clear, to the Government now, that we need to be clearing these arrears with unconditional grants?

Sadiq Khan: Yes, but the coalition you refer to is not just the [National Residential] Landlords Association. Step Change, Generation Rent, the Money Advice Service, Shelter, Property Mark, and the National Residential Landlords Association are calling on the Government to provide support, which is to establish a package of financial support for renters for COVID-related arrears. That could be grants or other forms of support.

Siân Berry: I think Generation Rent has now switched to saying grants from previously. The clarity here is really important because we do not want to be adding to renters’ problems with further debts and that is what we need to be calling on particularly the new Minister--

Sadiq Khan: To be fair, I welcome your U-turn because you were talking about rent forgiveness, which is not grants. I am talking about giving grants to the tenants, which they can pay to the landlords. If you remember, the disagreement we had was because you were saying the landlords should forego the rent they were due. I welcome your U-turn.

Siân Berry: I think some landlords can afford to do that, yes.

Sadiq Khan: I think it is the right thing for you to do and I commend it.

Siân Berry: I think we kind of agree, but will you--

Andrew Boff: I am afraid the Green Group is now out of time.

Siân Berry: Please write to the Minister about this, MrMayor.

Health Benefits of ULEZ Extension

Onkar Sahota: What impact do you think the rollout of the expanded ULEZ, as a major public health intervention, will have on reducing hospital admissions, premature deaths and costs to the NHS in the long-term?

Sadiq Khan: Air pollution is the biggest environmental risk to health, and road transport is the single biggest source of harmful emissions. Toxic air stunts children’s lungs, worsens chronic illnesses such as asthma and is linked to worse outcomes from COVID-19. Imperial College London found that in 2019 toxic air contributed to the premature deaths of more than 4,000 Londoners. It is vital that all levels of government act now to safeguard our health.
We have already made great progress in improving air quality in London. The central London ULEZ has helped reduce roadside NO2 by nearly a half within the zone, but pollution is not just a central London problem and I want to bring the health benefits of cleaner air to millions more Londoners. I am confident that expanding the ULEZ this month will help deliver even wider health benefits for London, including avoiding almost 300,000 new cases of air quality-related disease, preventing more than 1million hospital admissions, and saving the NHS around £5billion over the next 30 years. I know the challenges of living with asthma, and I am pleased that the ULEZ expansion will directly benefit more than 200,000 Londoners with asthma living within the boundary of the expanded zone.
Air pollution is also a social justice issue. Pollution is often more concentrated close to the source of emissions such as traffic, which means that exposure and its health impacts are not distributed evenly across London. Longstanding structural inequalities in our society mean that if you are less well-off or from a BAME background, you are more likely to live in the places with the worst air pollution. While expanding the ULEZ will not solve structural inequalities, protecting the health of the poorest and most marginalised is an important step towards a fairer and healthier society. The expansion of the ULEZ later this month is the boldest and most ambitious plan to tackle air pollution of any city in the world. I will continue to do everything in my power to ensure all Londoners can breathe clean air.

Krupesh Hirani: Thank you, MrMayor. I also understand it was your birthday a few days ago and so many happy returns. We will not embarrass you by going into a collective singsong.
One of the things about the pandemic and what is highlighted is the importance of lung health. You did mention the report that you commissioned by Imperial College London that confirmed the link between air pollution exposure and the risk of hospitalisation from COVID-19. When it comes to protecting those who most need help and those most at risk from the worst health impacts of the pandemic, how important is it that the Government uses the upcoming COP26 to empower mayors of cities, regions and local authorities all across the country to tackle toxic air?

Sadiq Khan: Chair, I survived the shock of a surprise birthday party last week. I am not sure if I could survive the shock of a singalong from the Assembly today.
Look, it is really important. When I met yesterday with [Their Royal Highnesses] the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the passion and the advocacy they have for this issue was inspiring. We need that from our Government and from governments across the globe. We are hosting COP26. We should be really proud. It is in Glasgow. It is in our country. It is a chance for us to show leadership that inspires the rest of the world to take action.
This is our last chance. It was brought home to us this summer. When we talk about climate change, we think about something decades away or we think about sub-Saharan Africa or the subcontinent or the global south. We saw flash floods in London, and we saw people being concerned about residential care homes because of overheating caused by heatwaves. This is coming home to us and that is why it is so important that we have agreements reached in Glasgow in just three weeks’ time.
I am concerned about whether the advanced Sherpa work has been done by national leaders.
[The Rt Hon] AlokSharma [MP, President for COP26] has done a good job keeping the Prime Minister fully engaged, but it is really important. We face twin challenges of both climate change and air pollution. They are linked and it is really important that COP26 shows what we are going to do and how we are going to do it, starting now.

Cleaning up London’s air

Zack Polanski: What is your next step after the Ultra Low Emission Zone expansion to clean up London’s air?

Sadiq Khan: I have made cleaning up London’s environment a top priority and, as a result, our city now leads the world on tackling air pollution and climate change, but there is no room for complacency. The central London ULEZ has been a clear success, reducing NO2 concentrations in central London by nearly half, particulate matter by more than a quarter and carbon emissions by more than 6%. When the ULEZ expands to the North and South Circular Roads later this month, we expect to be able to achieve further reductions in pollution across London, aiming for more than 90% of London’s roads to meet legal limits this year, but this is not a foregone conclusion. We are working very hard to make sure the expansion launch in just 11 days is successful.
I am also growing the zero-emission bus fleet as fast as possible, tightening the standards for construction machinery, and developing zero-emission zones to further reduce emissions. Through Air Quality Positive, I am using the planning system to ensure the homes we need are designed to improve air pollution. I will further help tackle pollution indoors through guidance that builds on my work on indoor air pollution at nurseries. We need to build the infrastructure to make walking, cycling and public transport the easiest choices and we need to help those who need a private vehicle to move to zero-emission vehicles if they can. London has a third of the United Kingdom’s (UK) charge points and I will shortly be publishing my strategy to expand this even further. We need to reduce emissions from buildings, which is why I have started a retrofit revolution with my accelerator programmes and an innovation partnership with the potential value of £10billion to achieve the scale of the change we need on air quality, carbon, and fuel poverty.
Of course, achieving a zero-pollution city requires shared action. I will continue to work with London’s boroughs on any air quality hotspots that remain after the ULEZ expands, also helping them make the best out of new regulations to reduce emissions from wood burning. I want to work with the Government to develop the powers we need in London to tackle all sources of pollution.
This is all part of my plan for a Green New Deal, through trying to double the size of the green economy over the next decade and upscale Londoners for the green jobs of the future. This is the level of ambition we need to tackle the climate, ecological and air quality emergencies.

Zack Polanski: Thank you for your response and thank you for your ambition and also for the work you have done so far in cleaning up London’s air. However, the targets have rightly got stronger. The WHO target has recently gone from 40 micrograms per cubic metre to 10 micrograms per cubic metre.
I know you have done lots of work on particulates and that is right and important, but particularly I want to ask you about this NO2. Will you set out plans for necessary steps to meet both interim targets and the necessary targets for cleaning up London’s air?

Sadiq Khan: Firstly, I should put on the record the support from SiânBerry [AM] and CarolineRussell [AM] over the last five years. They always pushed me to go further - that is your job - but it has been good to have allies on this agenda from day one of me being elected and I am grateful.
You are right. We have to make sure we have the targets, whether it is 2050 or 2030, but there are going to be milestones along the way. I am always suspicious about the 2050 target because many of us, I suspect, may not be around to be held to account in 2050. It kicks the can down the road. I was with [His Royal Highness] the Duke of Cambridge yesterday and he is also impatient about change now. He has this Sunday the world’s first Earthshot Prize where he will be giving innovators funding to be bold in their ideas. We should be bold in relation to not just NO2 but particulate matter and carbon emissions as well. As I said in answer to a question from AssemblyMember LéonieCooper, by targeting one you can often deal with the other two as well with the right policies. You are right.

Zack Polanski: You are totally right on this and I am pleased to hear you being bold and showing leadership. However, you are suspicious of 2050 and 2030, but I am rightly suspicious of 2030. We know we have only nine years in order to avoid some of the worst effects of the climate emergency and we have the COP26 coming up in just a few weeks. Why wait to make it happen by 2030? Why not start taking the bold action now? We know every year that we do not act as boldly as we can now means that we have less in the carbon budget later on. Will you step out? Will you spell out measures to do it in the next five years, for instance?

Sadiq Khan: Hold on a second. I am the guy that has reduced, with policies from City Hall, NOx by almost half in central London, particulate matter by 27% and carbon by 6%. It is unfair to say we have not been bold over the last five years. We are expanding in 11 days’ time the ULEZ to the North Circular and the South Circular, which will include another 4million people, with a 92% reduction, hopefully, by the end of this year. I am always happy to listen to ideas, particularly from the Greens who have been allies on this eco-friendly journey. I am really happy to listen to the ideas, but it is unfair to say we have not been bold up until now.

Zack Polanski: I did not say you were not being bold. You have taken some bold action, but there is much more action that needs to be taken. Traffic is important but also there is other action to be taken, too; for instance, stopping wood burning and changing gas boilers. When I look in your London Environment Strategy, there are warm words but there is no actual plan. Will you set out a plan to work on those?

Sadiq Khan: The Air Quality Positive [guidance] in the London Plan is world-leading in relation to saying to those who construct that they should not just be reducing carbon but adding in the development. No other plan across the country requires zero emissions in residential and commercial. The Government reduced that requirement. We put it in for residential and commercial. Nobody else is having a retrofit revolution supporting not just social homes but also public buildings to use renewable energies. We are working on a power purchase agreement for TfL, the first of its kind, which will mean that TfL, the biggest purchaser of energy in London, will be using fully renewables by the end of this decade. I am more than happy to take on board any sensible, practical ideas, particularly from your side, but we are working on some really bold things, world-leading, not simply leading the country, as recognised by the C40 [Cities Climate Leadership Group].

Zack Polanski: In terms of sensible, practical ideas, we have three options in terms of traffic, which is to enhance the ULEZ, further the ULEZ or a smart, privacy-friendly road charging scheme, which I know my colleagues have brought up many times in this Chamber. Will you commission a study to look into these options so we can take some practical steps at looking at what the best next step is for London?

Sadiq Khan: The Transport Strategy says we will keep under constant review not just the Congestion Charge but road user charging. In the last five years, for example, we brought in the world’s first T‑Charge. In the last five years, for example, we brought in the world’s first ULEZ. We are expanding that in 11 days. I am consulting on a new Congestion Charge from early next year, which at the moment is not the smart road-user charging technology you refer to, but if you can point to any global city using smart road-user charging that we can use to work on, I am more than happy to do so. The team at TfL is keeping this under review. They are always looking at some of the best technology around.
We have to make sure we land the ULEZ expansion in 11 days’ time. It is not a foregone conclusion. This sense that it is going to happen because the first launch was successful, I do not do that. We are working really hard. I have a team working at TfL and our partners around the clock between now and 25October [2021]. It has to land well. We will then work on the Congestion Charge changes being made permanent early next year.

Crime prevention and knife images

Caroline Russell: What is your current view of the use of images of knives as part of crime prevention communication?

Sadiq Khan: London’s VRU is the first in England and is committed to challenging the existing narrative around violence. As part of this work, I recognise there is a debate around images of knives and dangerous weapons seized by the police being published on social media.
The VRU listens to and is a voice for young people in London. I believe that listening to the views of young people is critical to understanding what has an impact on their perceptions and behaviours. The VRU has listened to the views and opinions of young people who work with us and are involved in our prevention and early intervention programmes. Those young people have made it clear that posting images of knives seized by the police often heightens the sense of fear in communities, particularly amongst young people. As a result of this engagement with the young people who may be at risk of being affected by knife crime, the VRU does not post images of knives.
The MPS works hard to remove knives and dangerous weapons from our streets. There is a view that posting images on social media is an opportunity to highlight the work they are doing to tackle violence in London. While the VRU is clear on its position, this is obviously an ongoing debate and more evidence is being gathered that will help the MPS and others consider the issue more closely.
New research from Sheffield Hallam University and South Yorkshire’s VRU, plus a study from
University College London (UCL), are due to be completed later this year. These projects are examining the impacts of using knife imagery and interventions, campaigns and media releases on the perceptions and attitudes of young people. The Sheffield Hallam study is investigating the effects knife images have on perceptions of the level of knife carrying, as well as the fears and attitudes that surround knives, whilst the UCL study is looking at whether posting images of knives could backfire, including whether young people exposed to this imagery in fact become more likely to carry knives.
I welcome this research. This will help inform the MPS’s approach to publishing images of knives on its social media channels. The MPS and I look forward to the publication of the new research and I will continue to work with the VRU, which champions the views and opinions of young people in our city.

Caroline Russell: Thank you, MrMayor. My colleague AssemblyMemberBerry raised the harm caused by images of knives shared by police on social media accounts with you back in 2017 and so it is not a new issue.
My recent research found that in this last year the MPS circulated more than 2,100 images of knives on Twitter. These were made up of 15 from the main MPS account, 16 from firearms, 82 from roads policing, 229 from the MPS taskforce and 612 from MPS borough accounts. The ward team accounts shared 1,200 of these images. That is in total more than 2,100 images over the year. Meanwhile, the three leading knife harm charities shared just two images of blades between them over the year. As you have said, your own VRU and even the website for the Home Office’s knife-free campaign do not share these images of scary knives.
Do you agree that there are better ways to show the work that the MPS is doing on reducing knife violence than sharing images of, frankly, terrifying knives on Twitter?

Sadiq Khan: Can I, as I often do, thank you and Siân [BerryAM] for pushing this issue over the last few years. I saw the exchange at the Police and Crime Committee, or I saw the television report of the exchange and it was really interesting.
As I have said, there are two really big pieces of work coming out imminently, and it is important for the police to look at that work because that would be the evidence that you are talking about, which is difficult to dispute, assuming the evidence is as you suggest it may be. Let us wait and see what the evidence is. You can guess from what the VRU does, which I am responsible for, in relation to the view of the VRU, which LibPeck [Director, VRU] was quite clear about. The evidence will hopefully persuade the MPS, if it is as you suggest, to change its stance as well. You can still make the point that the MPS wants to make about the hard work that it is doing taking knives and offensive weapons off our streets, without the negative connotations that that imagery can have.

Caroline Russell: You mentioned this research is coming soon. I have heard this morning it is likely not to be coming until next Easter and so that is not this year. It is coming in next year. The research is from the University of Strathclyde, which it has done with the Scottish VRU. Young people have said that showing distinctive or “flashy” looking images of knives might influence people to adopt knife carrying. DrCharlotteColeman from Sheffield Hallam University, who helped with that study, said that,
“[The knife] images had the potential to frighten susceptible young people into carrying knives for
self-defence, but equally others could be excited by them, prompting them to carry a knife because they thought doing so was ‘cool’.”
Do you not think it is time that we do listen to the academics and the young people? I do acknowledge that the VRU is not showing these images, but do you not think that you could ask the MPS to suspend the practice of showing these knife images on social media at least until the formal research comes out?

Sadiq Khan: I am happy to direct the MPS to the work you have talked about. I have not seen the latest stuff you have talked about and the MPS clearly has got to consider it. This is an operational matter, but I am more than happy to forward on the new research you have talked about if it is new. As I said to you, my understanding is that the two pieces of work from Sheffield Hallam and UCL were imminent. If you are saying they are now being delayed until Easter next year, which is six months away, that may change the MPS’s view in relation to them looking at the recent evidence in the near future, rather than it being six months away. I am more than happy, Chair, to pass on to the MPS the latest evidence you are talking about.

Caroline Russell: Thank you very much. I am pretty much out of time, but I really do think this is somewhere where if the MPS were to pause on this practice of sharing these images, that might reduce harm. Thank you.

Homophobic Crime

Unmesh Desai: The number of homophobic hate crimes recorded in June was the highest number recorded in a single month in the last 10 years. Do you recognise rising homophobic hate as a growing issue and what work is being taken to reverse this trend?

Sadiq Khan: I will not tolerate hate crime against any of London’s communities and tackling hate crime continues to be a key priority. The MPS has taken significant steps in how it responds to hate crime including homophobic, biphobic and transphobic attacks. A new policing model is providing a better response to hate crime. The hate crime liaison officer role has been redesigned with specialist hate crime outcomes and performance officers in every Basic Command Unit (BCU). This new role will involve identifying victims most at risk of hate crime and, when a hate crime does occur, the focus will be on improving the standard of initial investigation and ensuring victims are referred to appropriate support services. This will be supported by the newly established voluntary role of LGBT+ adviser with over 160 officers and staff engaging with colleagues in communities to build trust and confidence to report hate crime.
MOPAC and the MPS also work closely with Galop, the London LGBT+ anti-violence charity, to develop responses to hate crime and improve support for victims. I have invested almost £7million in combat in hate crime, more than any previous Mayor, increasing investment in supporting victims of hate crime with the launch of the new pan-London Hate Crime Victims Service this month. I am delighted that Galop is leading the expanded Community Alliance to Combat Hate (CATCH) partnership that will deliver the service. The MPS knows it needs to address cultural issues and that is why it is so important that an independent figure has been appointed to conduct a wholesale review of culture and standards in the service.
As well as providing a robust response to hate crime, it is equally important to send a message that we celebrate the diversity of our great city. My message is that London is a city open to all and a beacon for the LGBT+ community. I have been proud to stand alongside LGBT+ Londoners at Pride every year, and to host the Pride reception at City Hall I will continue to work with these communities and all partners to ensure hatred and intolerance will not win.

Unmesh Desai: Thank you, MrMayor. Yes, London does remain open. Thank you for asserting that. It is reassuring to hear that you are treating this issue with the seriousness it deserves. You will be aware that this week marks Hate Crime Awareness Week. Last week it was the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street in my constituency when the East End came out to oppose the hatred of [20th century fascist movement, Sir Oswald] Mosley’s Blackshirts. Unfortunately, hate continues to persist in many forms in London today. Tragically, in my constituency, a gay man was recently murdered in what is being investigated as a homophobic hate attack.
When looking at the stats, MrMayor, there seems to be a pattern over the last decade of homophobic hate crimes drastically rising over the summer in particular. Have you analysed the reasons for this, or will you look into the reasons for this particular phenomenon of a spike in hate crime over summer? What work specifically can be done to prevent summer spikes in the future? You have already outlined a lot of what you are doing, and I thank you for that.

Sadiq Khan: You raise a number of issues. Firstly, what the story of the Battle of Cable Street tells us is about the coalition of allies. It was not just the Jewish community, it was a coalition of allies and it is really important to remember that.
I am paying close attention to the inquest taking place in relation to the homophobic murders in London. It raises serious issues that we need to talk about. Let me go away and look into whether there are any seasonal patterns that you referred to. We have data and so we can check whether that happened if we look at previous years. I will come back to you and to the Assembly to give you an update so that I can give you a proper answer in relation to any patterns that you are talking about.

Unmesh Desai: I am grateful for that, MrMayor. To my second question, whilst you have spoken about homophobia today, it is also important to note that many other forms of hate crime have risen over the past year or so at a time when most other types of crime have been falling. Indeed, I understand the number of hate crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales has reached a record high level. From March2020 to March2021, 124,000 hate crime offences were recorded, a 9% increase, and a 10% fall in prosecutions. That is completely unacceptable.
Given this and the increasing series of hate crimes that we have discussed today, can you provide some reassurance that the new officers being introduced as part of the town centre teams, who will be operating where many of these hate crimes occur, will be fully trained in how to record these crimes, and provide appropriate support to victims?

Sadiq Khan: We need to make sure they are. Again, AssemblyMemberDesai, let me go and make sure that the new officers in particular are, rather than the refresher courses that those existing [officers] are. I am not somebody who thinks, listen, it is great that there is more reporting because it shows more confidence. That is complacency. We have to work on the basis that the reason why there has been more reporting is not just because people are more confident but because the crime has gone up and we have to respond to that. That is why it is really important we respond to hate crime when it is reported because it has a ripple effect with the rest of community. It sends a ripple of hate felt by other members of that community. That is why I am somebody who believes we should be recording misogyny as a hate crime as well because we know the experience of women and girls is different to the experience you and I have.

Unmesh Desai: Thank you, MrMayor. Finally, maybe on a bit of a personal note, with reference to the article by NickCohen in The Observer last Sunday, it was depressing to hear some of the experiences that you recounted in that article, but what really encouraged me was what you had to say very positively that silence normalises extremism and that you have had enough of keeping quiet. That was a powerful message to Londoners. Can I express my full solidarity and indeed that of all Londoners of goodwill in condemning the hatred directed against you personally and also against all politicians? In the same spirit, the attack on
[The Rt Hon Sir] IainDuncanSmith, a London Member of Parliament (MP), outside the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, needs to be condemned in the strongest possible terms. On a personal level, in the 1980s many of us stood up to the far right and it is not a pleasant experience to see your picture and name plastered all over far-right publications but, as you say, silence normalises extremism. Just like you, I for one will not be silent in the fight against hate crime in the capital and everywhere.

Protecting vulnerable communities

Shaun Bailey: What are you doing to protect vulnerable communities in London?

Sadiq Khan: London is one of the most diverse cities in the world, with people from all backgrounds. This is one of our greatest strengths. From the outset of my time as Mayor, I have been very clear and very deliberate in setting out my ambition of building a safer London for all, no matter who you are or where you live.
The pandemic exposed and exacerbated existing structural inequalities. Throughout the past 18 months, we have been focusing on helping those most in need. To help support vulnerable communities, we pledged £11million to the London Community Response Fund for civil society organisations giving support and advice to struggling families.
As we move on from the pandemic, the London Recovery Board has made a clear commitment that our aim should not just be to rebuild but to narrow social, economic and health inequalities. Safety is a critical foundation for London’s recovery and the sad reality is that violence and other forms of crime are driven by increasing inequality. Violent crime across London had started to go down before the pandemic hit and has continued to reduce, but we know levels of violence are still too high and too many families are losing their loved ones. We know this is an issue that disproportionately impacts vulnerable communities.
The police and I are determined to do everything we can to sustain the reductions in violence we have seen and drive it down still further. We know the communities who are most vulnerable, and we are rolling out tailored support. My investment in youth workers at accident and emergency (A&E) departments and custody suites has helped prevent thousands of vulnerable young people from being involved in further criminality. Through my Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), for example, I am supporting the MyEnds programme that focuses on investing resources into local neighbourhoods that have had high and sustained levels of violence, giving them tools to drive down violence. My Shared Endeavour Fund continues to support community projects across London that tackle racism, hate, intolerance, and extremism. The work around my Action Plan for Transparency Trust and Accountability in Policing continues to make progress in ensuring London’s communities are represented in oversight structures, empowering Londoners to shape policing.
I know that personal safety will be on a lot of women’s minds following the terrible events they will have read about in recent weeks. Tackling violence against women and girls is a top priority and we are, for example, working to publish our refreshed VAWG Strategy as soon as possible. I will also be launching the consultation on my new Police and Crime Plan shortly, which will set up my ongoing vision to make London a safe city for all.

Shaun Bailey: Good morning, MrMayor. Thank you for your answer.

Sadiq Khan: Good morning.

Shaun Bailey: Despite only accounting for 13% of London’s population, Black Londoners make up 48% of knife homicide victims, 21% of knife rape victims and 33% of violence with knife victims as well. What is the VRU doing specifically to help protect Black vulnerable Londoners?

Sadiq Khan: This is a really important issue in relation to the disproportionate victims that you and I meet on a daily basis. I meet too many bereaved families and the vast majority, as you have said, are Black Londoners.
A lot of the work we are doing is to support those communities which have large proportions of Black Londoners. You will have been on your visit to Croydon seeing the work being done with MyEnds. That, for example, is helping a very large number of Black Londoners in eight communities across London. All eight communities, when you look at the populations in those areas from Haringey to Croydon and other parts of London, have a significant proportion of Black Londoners. In the Partnership Reference Group meeting we had yesterday at the VRU, we heard from two young Black Londoners who talked about their experiences.
A lot of work is being done because I am a firm believer in supporting the communities at the same time as suppressing the violence. We have to give them the helping hand that you and I had to make sure they have their potential fulfilled rather than being diverted away.
One of the things we are concerned about is, when you see where the county lines gangs are targeting, if you look at the chicken shops, the Pupil Referral Units (PRU) and the schools, they are targeting a certain demographic. That is why one of the things we are doing is trying to give those young people alternative pathways away from, for example, county lines.

Shaun Bailey: In a recent Police and Crime Committee, we heard about some of the work that the VRU is doing, but do you agree that the VRU’s work should be scrutinised publicly?

Sadiq Khan: The VRU’s work is scrutinised publicly by the Police and Crime Committee.

Shaun Bailey: I am the Chairman of that Committee. They offer a lot of private meetings; I always want to have them publicly. The reason I say this is because there is a number of projects that they invest in, and that is great, but many of the members of the Committee expressed a bit of a worry around how those projects are being assessed. I want to ask you to commit to making all of those assessments of all of those projects public because, unless we know which projects work, we do not know where you should be putting your money.

Sadiq Khan: The Home Office also assesses the work of the VRU in relation to the money the Home Office gives the VRU. I am happy to take on board and raise with Home Office any concerns that maybe you have about accountability of the VRU. You will be aware as the Chairman of the Committee that VRUs across the country are getting support from the Home Office. If there are any ideas that you have, you can raise them publicly if you prefer, but I am more than happy to raise this with the Home Secretary in relation to how we hold to account VRUs generally. There are key performance indicators (KPIs) that we have agreed with the VRU and the Home Office, but if there are any improvements in your eyes that can be made, I am more than happy to listen to those.

Shaun Bailey: The KPIs that the Home Office ask for are quite broad because they are looking at the whole country. The KPI I am asking you to change is to focus on the assessment of the projects that this VRU - your VRU - invests in. Many of these projects have been funded and the assessment is light or non-existent. I am asking for a commitment to make those assessments more thorough and to make them public.

Sadiq Khan: There is a misunderstanding. A large part of the work that VRU in London does is funded with criteria from the Home Office and the criteria is agreed with the Home Office. If there are any concerns you have in relation to the assessment by the Home Office that you would want to improve, I am more than happy to raise those with the Home Office, because it is the Home Office that gives the funds and sets out what the KPIs should be.
In relation to the additional money that I provide from City Hall, we have very public KPIs and very public ways of holding the VRU to account, not least at the Police and Crime Committee, which I suspect has a very good Chairman, seeing as you are the Chairman. If there are any issues around your ability to hold them to account, I am more than happy to help you hold them to account better, but we are keen to work with the Home Office in relation to the funding it gives to make sure we meet the criteria it has.

Shaun Bailey: Thank you for that, but I am more focused on: if our VRU gives funds, our VRU should know how effective those funds are, regardless of who set the criteria. Of course, our VRU should not be funding projects and not assessing how well they went. That is where the weakness is here. That is the innovation we are looking for: that our VRU, led by you, is pressured by you to give a better understanding of the money it is spending. It is not about the Home Office spend. It is about what we are doing with the money at this level. Will you press them to give us some information? Will you press them to have a proper evaluation framework? That is the kind of thing we are looking for here.

Sadiq Khan: The question is: do I think the VRU does not have a proper framework? I disagree. The VRU does have a proper framework in relation to assessing how effective the VRU has been. The VRU has recently published some of the assessment undertaken. It has outside consultants to look at the work of the VRU since it was formed in 2019, England’s first.
If the concern is that the independent consultant has not done a good enough job, the Police and Crime Committee under his chairmanship has not done a good enough job or the Home Office is not doing a good enough job, I am happy to look at the concerns that he has, but it begs the question: what is the Police and Crime Committee doing?

Shaun Bailey: The concern I have is that the VRU is not doing a good enough job. All the other people you name are fully capable of doing their job and demonstrate that. It is the VRU that is not demonstrating if it is doing a good job or not, but I digress.
MrMayor, do you or the VRU have plans to undertake an additional study to look at the level of knife crime and the level of deaths in the Black community? Again, I make the point: only 13% of the population but 48% of the homicides. Are you doing a particular piece of work to look at why the death rate is so high in the Black community?

Sadiq Khan: That should be included in the reviews being undertaken on the homicides. You will be aware that the Home Secretary announced a review in relation to all the homicides that have taken place and so that should be covered there. Separately, the VRU did do a review in relation to homicides in London and a lot of them were looking at not just the adverse childhood experiences but whether there was any point before the homicide when there could have been interventions to stop the homicide occurring. You will be aware that one of the things that has led to is youth workers in A&Es being expanded because we have seen that some of those unfortunately who lose their lives have previously been victims of knife crime as well. There are other examples of policies we are investing in because of the reviews being undertaken. Some of the particular work in relation to ethnicity will hopefully be dealt with in the review being undertaken by the Home Office, which we are keen not to duplicate for obvious reasons.

Shaun Bailey: That is the problem there. You used the word ‘hopefully’. The VRU has not looked into this and neither has your office. The Black community in London is the most murdered and most attacked community in the entire country. I have said to you before that Black parents are terrified to let their children out of their homes. It is affecting how our children perform in school. It is affecting how they perform socially. I am asking you as the Police and Crime Commissioner for London: will you do that piece of work? Will you look at why the London Black community is so attacked? It is a piece of work that I believe should be done at your level. You are the Police and Crime Commissioner for London. Will you commit to doing that piece of work?

Sadiq Khan: I have already explained, Chair, that one of the reasons why we are investing so many resources into communities with large proportions of Black Londoners is because, unlike him, I believe that there are complex causes of criminality that require investment in those communities. Inequality, alienation, and a lack of opportunities are just some examples that have been exacerbated by the recent pandemic.
In my answer I referred to structural inequalities. I know there is a difference of view in relation to racial inequalities and structural inequalities and concerns around critical race theory and so forth. I am quite clear that a large proportion of Black Londoners suffer structural discrimination and structural inequalities that lead to their life chances being diminished. That is why from City Hall we are investing not just in being tough on crime and supporting our police and suppression of violence, but in being tough on the causes of crime by supporting those communities, many of which are Black communities who need our support.
What I am not willing to do is make a sweeping generalisation based on the colour of somebody’s skin. What I am willing to do is to say too many Londoners are living in deprived communities. Too many Black Londoners, are living in an overcrowded housing. Too many Black Londoners, have been excluded from our schools, in my view, when they should not be.
That is one of the reasons why we are giving additional help to schools. There is more now trauma-informed training. There is more help now to keep our children inside schools. There is more being done in our schools to make sure that many Black children have mentors to support them, including in relation to the transfer between primary school and secondary school. We are doing a lot of work helping particularly young Black men, in relation to not just apprenticeships and not just getting into university but also in relation to good careers advice. The work we are doing with the Workforce Integration Network and the work we are doing in relation to our academies is targeting support towards Black Londoners, not because of the colour of their skin but because‑‑

Shaun Bailey: MrMayor, your answer is no, because what you are saying there is all the things you think work and all the things that might happen. We are talking about a specific piece of work. Remember this is the single most murdered community in the entire country. They are on your patch; you are the Police and Crime Commissioner for London and you are refusing to do a specific piece of work to understand why this is happening to the Black community. If you truly believe in keeping the Black community safe, you should be leaping to do this piece of work, not talking about all the other failed pieces of work you have done. The facts demonstrate that you have failed because, again, this is the single most murdered community in the whole country. You speak to any Black parent in this city and they will tell you they are terrified to let their child out of their room. It would be a simple matter for you to do a real piece of work to understand what those issues are.
Again, I ask you the question: will you commit to doing a study on why the Black community suffers such high levels of murder, yes or no?

Sadiq Khan: Chair, I am sure you are going to now rule that he can dictate how I answer my question, but the usual rule is I can answer the question how I like and so let me try to answer the question how I like. I will give you three examples of specific work we are funding that is targeted at helping Black Londoners, but you have to listen to my answer‑‑

Shaun Bailey: No, you have to listen to my question. I said a study to understand the overall picture. You do not get to change the subject‑‑

Andrew Boff: AssemblyMemberBailey, allow the Mayor to answer.

Shaun Bailey: Go ahead.

Sadiq Khan: That is very generous of you.

Shaun Bailey: Thank you.

Sadiq Khan: Let me give you three examples of some of the work we are funding that deliberately helps support for Black Londoners. The VRU is funding the Black Men For Change programme, which supports young people in the boroughs of Hackney, Waltham Forest, Lambeth and Haringey. This programme provides Black-led initiatives to support community involvement, mentoring, training, and employment.
I will give you another example. The VRU is working with the Black Training and Enterprise Group to invest in after-school provision for 10- to 18-year-olds through community-led programmes and groups to support Londoners most in need.
I willgive another example. Through the VAWG commitments that we have, I fund CouRAGEus, which is a project that supports Black and minority young women. This includes those from ethnic minority groups, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, plus (LGBT+) community and disabled young women as well. I have a list of other examples‑‑

Shaun Bailey: Sorry, MrMayor, you said you would give me three examples. You have just given me three. You are saying you will not do that piece of work. You earlier on said trust in the police is low. Trust from the Black community would start with action. Action comes from the top. You are the Police and Crime Commissioner for London and so I ask you one more time. Will you do that piece of work to look at why our children are pursued and murdered in the streets, yes or no?

Sadiq Khan: Chair, I have already explained in relation to the work that we are doing. I have already explained‑‑

Shaun Bailey: MrMayor, you have clearly given your answer and so I am going to suggest we both stop so as not to waste anybody’s time. Chair, back to you.

Keeping Homes Safe from Fire in London

Hina Bokhari: What are you doing to understand many Londoners’ concerns and frustrations around waking watches?

Sadiq Khan: Many leaseholders and residents are concerned about the costs of waking watches and I have long called for new government funding to fully cover the cost of interim fire safety measures such as waking watches while unsafe buildings are remediated. It is unfair that leaseholders should have to pay to resolve building safety issues they played no part in causing. I am also deeply concerned about the impact this building safety crisis is having on the mental health and wellbeing of leaseholders. No one should have to live with the anxiety of feeling their home is unsafe, coupled with worry about the cost of putting right past failures.
My officers and I are in regular contact with leaseholders and residents, and my Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development, TomCopley, recently met with the G15 group of housing associations, the London Fire Brigade (LFB), the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) and leaseholder campaigning groups to understand their views on provision of waking watches. I attended and spoke at last month’s Leaseholders Together cladding rally outside Parliament to show my solidarity with leaseholders facing this crisis. I fully understand the concerns and frustrations that leaseholders and residents have. They feel that the Government has failed them and continues to do so. Public safety must be our top priority here and it is vital that Londoners are kept safe in buildings that are awaiting remediation works.
The need for waking watches is an evolving picture and I understand that the NFCC will soon publish revised guidance on simultaneous evacuation, which will provide more clarity about when waking watches are, and are not, needed to tackle concerns about their over provision. The Waking Watch Relief Fund in London is progressing, and the benefits of this fund are clear to see. The provision of common building alarms under the fund eases cost burdens while protecting the safety of residents. Ultimately, it is the remediation of unsafe buildings that will alleviate the need for interim fire safety measures and making sure buildings are safe for occupation has to be the ultimate priority as we must never see a repeat of the tragic loss of life that we saw at Grenfell Tower.

Hina Bokhari: We were also at the cladding rally as well. As you know, thousands of leaseholders across London are having to deal with the prospect of crippling costs and the worry of living in potentially unsafe homes because of the building safety crisis. I am particularly concerned about reports of vulnerable and stressed leaseholders in London being exploited by fraudsters issuing fake external wall system (EWS) 1 forms, with Inside Housing recently reporting on unregistered fire risk assessors being used by housing providers in London. What more are you doing with the LFB and others to combat this in our city?

Sadiq Khan: I have also heard about these reports and I think the fact that you were there at the rally as well shows this is a cross-party endeavour. There were some Conservative politicians and Green politicians there as well and it really is cross-party. One of the challenges the LFB has is it is the enforcing body. What some people are calling for is a sort of LFB-approved list and there would be a conflict there because it would be on the one hand giving an approved list of experts but also be the enforcing authority as well. This should not be a problem for the LFB to try to resolve; it is for the Government in relation to a list of approved experts to work on. What is happening is people are paying for these reports and they get a sense of relief and we know, for the reasons you have said, that the building is not safe as well. There is a huge amount of regulatory work required and I think this is the evidence of a race to the bottom, the deregulation we saw in previous decades. The race to the bottom and saving costs is leading to some of these challenges we face today. This is one example, and other examples are fire doors that do not work. Other examples are people marking their own homework when it came to previous safety certificates and so forth. This is one example of work needing to be done and I am hoping that the Building Safety Bill currently going through Parliament is the vehicle for the Government to make the changes required. Politicians from all sides of the House are trying to put in amendments, which I hope the Government will accept.

Hina Bokhari: There are also huge concerns about waking watches. There are close to about 1,000 buildings now that have waking watches and it is growing. What is really worrying is that there is a common fire alarm system that is being fitted to buildings and yet there is a waking watch still deemed to be relevant and required. Are you aware of how many buildings in London have this common fire alarm system, but still require a waking watch? How are we supporting the leaseholders who, despite having a fire alarm system being installed, are still having to pay for these services?

Sadiq Khan: The LFB estimates there are more than 1,000 buildings in London that are not safe. The question is: how many of those are the ones you are talking about? The guidance from the NFCC will help assess where you can desegregate the waking watches from the simultaneous evacuation processes you referred to. Let us wait and see the guidance and when it is published, that will give us a better flavour. One of the reasons why the LFB is keen to work with the NFCC rather than going alone is there is a problem across the country. Although London has got a bigger problem - we have more than double the number of tall buildings than the rest of the country put together - we want to be working closely with colleagues across the country. There are issues around duty of care to firefighters in London, which we have got to be careful about. That is why a national approach is the way forward and hopefully this guidance will be out imminently.

Hina Bokhari: There is still concern about the effectiveness of waking watches, with leaseholders and building owners being frustrated with the quality of these measures. Will you be looking into working with the LFB to produce a list of approved, reliable waking watch providers and make sure that you can list those in your extensive communication channels in London?

Sadiq Khan: No. I explained literally three minutes ago why I could not do that, and I will say it again. The LFB is the enforcing authority and there would be a conflict if it was the authority giving a list of approved waking watch providers or somebody doing expert reports as well. The same principle applies. That is why the job of the LFB is to enforce, and we got into some of these problems because people were marking their own homework, and there would be a clear conflict if the LFB approved waking watch A or approved expert A and then was marking their homework. What is important is them to be able to, without fear or favour, assess how effective people are. That is why it is important for the Government with the Building Safety Bill going through Parliament to provide that reliability. One of the ways is regulation. People call it “red tape”, but it is regulation that leads to better standards and so we do not want it to be a race to the bottom in the standards.

Scrappage schemes

Krupesh Hirani: How many high polluting vehicles have been taken off the streets as a result of ULEZ scrappage schemes?

Sadiq Khan: I am pleased to have introduced scrappage schemes to help Londoners scrap their older, more polluting vehicles ahead of the ULEZ expansion on 25October[2021]. In total, these schemes have already helped remove over 12,000 vehicles from the road, including more than 6,700 cars, over 5,200 vans, over 100 HGVs and 20 coaches. A further 18 heavy vehicles have also been retrofitted via the scheme. The scrappage scheme for cars and motorcycles remains open to Londoners, who are disabled or on low incomes. Charities can also continue to access funding to scrap minibuses, given their vital role in our communities and in supporting our recovery from the pandemic. I have topped up the scrappage schemes to ensure they support as many people as possible. Most recently, in July[2021] I announced an additional £5million for scrappage, bringing the funds to a total of over £61million. The Government has provided funding for scrappage in Birmingham, Bath and Portsmouth to support their clean air zones, but London has not seen similar provisions. I continue to call on Ministers to commit resources to a national scrappage scheme and, as a minimum, to match the funding I have provided for scrappage in London.

Krupesh Hirani: Thank you, MrMayor. Many Londoners who need a car would like to move towards purchasing an electric vehicle, but the upfront costs make them unaffordable or an unattractive prospect for them. This means that people often are buying second-hand/new petrol, diesel, or hybrid ULEZ-compliant cars instead as a stopgap solution. Other countries such as France and Germany offer much better incentives and grants to switch to electric vehicles straightaway, not only to improve their air quality but also linking it to the economy to boost car manufacturing in those countries as well, at the same time making them more affordable to the customer as well. With COP26 approaching and the much-needed focus on a greener recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, will the Mayor join me in calling for the Government to review its approach, to help people make that switch to electric cars, to boost jobs, ensure a greener recovery and make vehicles more affordable, not only to Londoners but people all across the country?

Sadiq Khan: Chair, can I fully endorse the suggestion made from the AssemblyMember. That is a really good example of a transformative Green New Deal package and offer. What you are doing is you are helping people make a just transition away from a polluting vehicle but also on the emissions, you are helping create jobs in the British economy. Car manufacturers in the UK would be getting the jobs created by the demand for new cars as well. In London, we have got a fantastic electric vehicle infrastructure and we are expanding that, and we have got a fantastic rapid charging vehicle infrastructure and we are expanding that, but we know many Londoners who want to make the transition need a helping hand. They are willing to contribute, but they just need that bit extra.
I make this other point. By increasing the demand for electric vehicles, cars, or buses, it reduces the cost as well. If a manufacturer/a factory knows there is this huge pipeline of demand, they can invest in the staff and the machinery/technology and reduce the cost as well. I cannot think of a better example of a virtuous circle.

Krupesh Hirani: MrMayor, you gave figures about the ULEZ scrappage schemes that City Hall is operating under your leadership. Do you have any indication as to car drivers who may have switched their vehicle without using the scrappage schemes because they are able to afford it and the impact that is having already on Londoners?

Sadiq Khan: We do have those figures, but I have not got them to hand. We have got the figures of the number of vehicles now coming into London post-ULEZ versus pre-ULEZ, those who now have a compliant vehicle, but also those who are now walking or cycling or using public transport. The good news is the number of car trips has gone down, which means people have decided to opt for either active travel or public transport, and those cars that are coming in are more compliant, roughly speaking 39% up to 85% each as well. We do know that these sort of bold policies do lead to a change in behaviour and also an improvement in the air as well, less carbon, less particulate matter and less NOx.

Krupesh Hirani: You already mentioned about scrappage schemes outside of London, for example in Bath and Birmingham, which appear to be receiving greater government support. Will you also commit to working with other mayors and local authorities across the country so that we have a more national, coordinated approach to scrappage?

Sadiq Khan: Absolutely. In fact, tomorrow I have the pleasure of going to see AndyStreet, who is the Mayor of West Midlands, and I will be in Coventry tomorrow. I work very closely with all ten mayors in England, and we are called M10, which is not a motorway. It is the ten of us, cross-party, who work really closely and collegiately together on a cross-party basis and this is one example of us doing so.

TfL’s Plan to decarbonise by 2030

Elly Baker: With the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties beginning later this month is TfL still on course to decarbonise transport by 2030?

Sadiq Khan: London was one of the world’s first cities to set out a clear plan to comply with the Paris Climate Agreement. I have been clear in my ambition for London to be net zero carbon by 2030 and that includes the transport network, and sustainable travel will play a huge part in reducing emissions from transport. My Transport Strategy sets a target for 80% of journeys to be made by active travel and public transport by 2041. London has Western Europe’s largest zero emission bus fleet with over 550 zero emission buses already on the streets, getting up to 950 over the course of the next few months. Last month, I announced London will now only procure zero emission buses and our current commitment to deliver a 100% zero emission fleet has been brought forward from 2037 to 2034. With the right government support, I am sure we can achieve this by 2030.
London is already leading the way on electric vehicles and now has over 7,600 electric vehicle charge points, a third of the UK’s total, and we have more rapid charging points than any city in Western Europe. So far, we have seen the introduction of 4,500 Zero Emission Capable (ZEC) taxis, and over 14,000 ZEC private hire vehicles (PHVs) because of our policies. In 2019, London launched the world’s first ULEZ and later this month it will expand up to the North and South Circular roads, reducing carbon emission from cars and vans in the newly expanded zone by 5% in its first year. By 2030, TfL will procure 100% renewable energy, including through long-term power purchase agreements, which will directly support new renewable energy generation across the UK.

Elly Baker: TfL is seeking in your submission to the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) up to £1.5billion to support decarbonisation by 2030 and to keep our city running. Are you expecting support for this effort to decarbonise when the CSR is published?

Sadiq Khan: I hope so. One of the points I made to the Government at a meeting this week with another member of the Cabinet is “The Government’s objectives and our objectives are very similar, and we can help you meet your objectives”. Zero carbon is an important objective for the Government, a national recovery is important for the Government, and London can be somebody that provides solutions to the Government rather than being a problem. I will give you one example. I mentioned in my answer trying to make all our buses electric by 2030. That will not only clean up the air in our city, reduce carbon, reduce particulate matter and reduced NO2, but also it will create jobs in other parts of the country from Ballymena to Falkirk, from Scarborough to West Yorkshire as well. You are creating jobs around the country. We need highly skilled jobs around the country, also helping get to zero carbon, and helping us breathe cleaner air in London and there are other examples I can give. We are trying to say to the Government, “Work with us in relation to national objectives and the only way to reach those is with London”.

Elly Baker: Thank you. To follow up on the buses because I think it is possibly both of our favourite subjects, 60% of TfL direct carbon emissions comes from buses and, as you have talked about, there are plans to make all the buses zero emission that you have brought forward to 2034. What I am interested in is you have said that that could be brought forward to 2030, but there is a limited amount of money currently for that and London is in the mix with a lot of other parts of the country. Do you think that London is going to get a fair chance at that money? How are you feeling about that mood music at the moment?

Sadiq Khan: Just think about the journey we have made in the last five years. Five years ago, you all know buses were diesel and they were responsible for the toxic air we were breathing in. In just five years, we have made all our buses, more than 9,000, ULEZ-compliant, which is a remarkable achievement. It is a combination of retrofitting and a combination of new electric, new hybrid, and new hydrogen buses as well. The point we are making to the Government is many of these companies around the country with British jobs and British workers rely upon business from TfL. Even if every other city in the UK started buying all their buses and being electric, that would not provide enough work for these factories across the country. There is a virtuous circle here in relation to supporting TfL to buy these electric and hydrogen buses across the country, creating work for these factories. West Yorkshire where I went recently with the fantastic new Mayor, TracyBrabin [Mayor of West Yorkshire], half of their business is London. We need their skilled engineers; we need their factories, and they need our business. The Government can, with a good industrial strategy and a green strategy, support London but also support the country in jobs across the country.

Fuel poverty and rising energy prices

Joanne McCartney: Gas prices are rising and many Londoners will be unable to adequately heat their homes this winter. What action can you take to support them?

Sadiq Khan: Sadly, record high energy prices will plunge thousands of London households into fuel poverty this winter, but I have a range of programmes to help reduce bills. In November [2021] I will reopen my Warmer Homes Programme, providing grants of up to £5,500 for low-income households requiring energy efficiency improvements. By the spring, over 2,500 London homes will have been improved. I have also secured over £7million in government funding to enhance this programme.
My Warmer Homes Advice Service is open now to support Londoners on low incomes facing high energy bills through telephone and in-home advice, support with energy debt and access to bill discounts. The Service works with a network of over 300 organisations to reach those in most need and has supported almost 10,000 households on low incomes to date. Alongside this, from this month our Advice in Community Settings Programme is funding 11 partnerships between advice providers and community locations to help people experiencing financial hardship to access advice when and where they need it.
My Retrofit Accelerator Homes Programme is also supporting over 1,600 whole-house retrofits in London’s social housing stock to create warm, affordable, and ultra-low-carbon homes. This energy crisis also highlights why it is important to lessen our fossil fuel dependence and move more quickly to net zero as we are doing in London. I launched London Power in January2020 to provide access to energy that is always fair, affordable, and green, and it continues to provide the best possible deal for Londoners, although global commodity prices affect every supplier. This week I met with the Energy Secretary and highlighted the need for powers to be devolved to London to help us improve energy efficiency in London’s old housing stock. This will also help reduce energy bills.
The energy price cap is protecting Londoners from the full effects of high market prices, but with prices increasing as we enter the winter months, I urge the Government to do more to support vulnerable households. The Government’s decision to scrap the £20 Universal Credit uplift put 130,000 Londoners into poverty overnight and I continue to urge the Government to reconsider this change as well as to remove the benefit cap and extend the uplift to legacy benefits such as the Jobseeker’s Allowance.

Joanne McCartney: Thank you, MrMayor. It does seem that this winter there will be a perfect storm for the most vulnerable Londoners. As you have said, fuel poverty will rise, food prices are going up, council tax is likely to rise, and we know that those most vulnerable Londoners are those with a long-term disability or illness, which are 75% of those in fewer poverty, 17% single parents and 57% Black and minority ethnic (BME) Londoners.
Can I just ask you what further can your Warmer Homes Advice Service do to support those low-income Londoners and how can you work with energy suppliers to support the most vulnerable Londoners? There are schemes available and energy suppliers are meant to take those into account, but many Londoners do not know they are entitled to help.

Sadiq Khan: This is probably the most important issue Londoners are facing over the next two, three and four months. If we have a very cold winter, I worry about excess deaths caused by a combination of the bad weather and people choosing food over heat or people choosing not to turn on their heating.
One of the things that we have to remember is there are obligations energy companies have that often people who are fuel poor do not realise. That is one of the reasons why we are offering this advice. People might think, “Why are you offering advice? Why can you not try to persuade the Government to do much more to reverse the cuts and so forth?” We will do that as well, but what we have realised is many Londoners do not realise the rights they have. By giving them this advice, they can get the heating that they need, and it will not be turned off by the energy companies.
We have helped almost 10,000 low-income households so far. That has led to smaller bills, helping them with things like draught excluders - simple, cheap things we can do - helping them complete application forms for the Warmer Homes Programme, and getting them energy and water bill discounts that they can get. This advice is very important, and we are trying to reach as many as Londoners as we can, supporting the advice sector, and helping those Londoners for whom English is not their first language make contact with the energy companies.
There is a lot we are trying to do now before the really cold winter begins, but I am concerned as the weather gets colder. Energy prices could go up if your contract comes up for renewal very soon. I have mentioned the biggest social security cut since welfare benefits were set up of £20 in a week. It is a big concern.

Joanne McCartney: This Assembly on the whole has supported the Government keeping that Universal Credit uplift. The more we can do to really show the Government that that is the wrong thing to do is going to be important.
Can I finally ask if you are going to be using all your communication channels to get this message out to Londoners?

Sadiq Khan: Yes. One of the things we are looking at, as a consequence of your question, is what more we can do. When I was preparing for Mayor’s Question Time, I looked at what we are doing, and I have asked the question: can we be more proactive in helping those from underserved communities? There is no such thing as a hard-to-reach Londoner. We are hard to reach. We have to make sure we get the advice to underserved communities. We are working on a more proactive campaign to try to reach those parts of London who need this service the most. I will make sure I will keep you updated and the Assembly as well, Chair.

MPS Resource Allocation Formula

Susan Hall: Can you confirm when the MPS Resource Allocation Formula for London was last reviewed, if there are any plans or a timescale for doing as such, and whether you have made any representations with regard to reviewing it to the MPS?

Sadiq Khan: The MPS resource allocation model was redeveloped in 2018 when the new model for local policing was agreed. Since then, the MPS has continued to evolve the way it allocates resources to frontline policing to ensure it can provide the best service to Londoners. The operational deployment of resources across London is the responsibility of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. The MPS maintains a constant review on its local resourcing model and the MPS re-runs the model annually.
Local policing is enhanced by support from a number of central assets, including the Violent Crime Task Force, the Territorial Support Group and the Mounted Branch as examples. Support from these and other central assets is called in on a regular basis according to the priorities that need to be addressed and based on information received--

Andrew Boff: MrMayor, I wondered if you could bring your comments to a close as the Conservatives are out of time.

Sadiq Khan: That is a good place to stop, Chair.

Outdoor Dining Post Pandemic

Sakina Sheikh: What do you think the future of al fresco dining in London should look like?

Sadiq Khan: Al fresco dining has been a lifeline for many businesses during the pandemic and in Westminster alone, outdoor dining generated more than 16,000 additional customers, helping to save countless businesses and jobs. Al fresco dining will continue to play an important role in the recovery of the hospitality sector and I welcome the Government’s decision to extend the current fast track pavement licence until September2022. Boroughs have already taken decisions to make al fresco dining permanent in locations such as Covent Garden and St John’s Wood. As our high streets start to recover from the pandemic, I am encouraging all boroughs to work in partnership with businesses and local people to create al fresco dining schemes that support trade, while considering the needs and wishes of local residents. Since the onset of the coronavirus crisis, the hospitality sector across the UK has lost 10,000 premises, £87billion in sales and more than 350,000 jobs. Getting our world-leading hospitality industry back on its feet will be vital for London but also the UK’s economic recovery. The sector is struggling in the face of staff shortages and supply chain disruption, driven by COVID and Brexit. I am urging Ministers to review their changes to visa rules and give cities like London the devolved powers to fill vacancies in sectors with acute shortages, helping to boost our economic recovery when we need it the most.

Sakina Sheikh: Thank you very much, MrMayor. Your answer was incredibly substantial and shows the many intercepting issues that come into this conversation around al fresco dining from COVID and Brexit to immigration to staff shortages and, indeed, food shortages. I am really pleased we are discussing it, especially as I have had a lot of London constituents email me, specifically around Soho and the al fresco dining that was there. As you have already mentioned, the West End is the heart of London’s nightlife and absolutely key to the COVID and economic recovery that London needs and, indeed, the country needs because we know that London’s recovery is inherently intertwined with the rest of the country’s.
My question to you is: what more can we do to support councils to keep al fresco dining open in the long term? If you are able to comment specifically on Soho as well, which is where I have had a lot of London constituents write into me about.

Sadiq Khan: Yes, I was in Soho this weekend and it is disappointing to see the pavement dining not continuing. We have got to recognise the sensitivities that councils have. The councils are competing local residents and businesses, but also customers as well, three competing interests, and we can understand why councils find it difficult to manage those tensions. We are keen to work with councils to navigate their way through this. To give Westminster Council credit, although we may be unhappy that the Soho experience is not continuing, it is going to make Covent Garden permanent, and St John’s Wood. We want to work with councils and work with residents and some of their concerns can be addressed. I am hoping that we will see some resumption of the experience you and I enjoyed in Soho outdoors in the future, but we have got to be sympathetic to the residents and businesses as well as visitors.

Sakina Sheikh: Of course, yes. I know it is a tricky balance, making sure we are hearing everyone’s concerns and accommodating everyone, and I am sure councils will welcome working with you on this.
I wanted to delve in a little bit deeper around this. We heard from Transport for All to ensure that if permanent outdoor dining is kept, we make sure it is accessible for all Londoners and that is really important to keep on the radar as we continue this conversation. I wanted to hone into something a little bit more specific. For me, like I said, the economic recovery for London is that the West End is the heart of it, but there is also something slightly broader about the culture of London. It is an incredible and beautiful city, but sometimes it can feel vast and busy and even lonely. What al fresco dining enabled us to do was open up a conversation around the connectiveness, especially post-pandemic, that outdoor seating and outdoor dining can do. I am keen that we do keep this high up on the agenda, but I am also a bit concerned. I welcome the consultations the Government has opened around keeping al fresco dining open on one hand. On the other hand, it is also increasing permitted development rights (PDR) and weakening Article4 directions. It clearly understands that outdoor seating is absolutely a strong part of our economic recovery, but then at the same time a lot of its planning regulation seems to undermine the economic recovery of our high streets through increased PDR and weakened Article4 directions. I find it hard to reconcile those two things and I was wondering if you could comment a little bit more about that.

Sadiq Khan: I think your analysis is spot on in relation to, firstly, the joy of seeing other people after the last 18 months. I think you are spot on about the joy of al fresco dining or the
London Film Festival, dare I say, which we have experienced over the last few days. It goes until Sunday and tickets are still available at the British Film Institute (BFI) Southbank with films on until Sunday.

Sakina Sheikh: I highly recommend it.

Sadiq Khan: I am always happy to give the Government credit in relation to the pavement licensing changes it has made, really working with councils and trusting councils. On the other hand, it is not only removing powers from councils by the permitted development regulations you talk about, but also reducing the powers of councils to have Article4 directions.

Sakina Sheikh: Exactly.

Sadiq Khan: You cannot have it both ways and what I would say to the Government is, “Look, trust the councils.” In London, we have got 32 plus the City of London and they know their communities far, far better than civil servants in Whitehall or Ministers in Parliament. Allow councils to decide what happens in relation to the change of use and allow councils, if they want, to have an Article4 direction, because of a sensitivity of an area, to put one down, rather than relaxing the rules in the way it is doing, taking power away from local elected councillors in the way it has suggested. Pavement licensing is good, and Article4 is bad.

Reoffending

Nicholas Rogers: What can be done to reduce reoffending in London?

Sadiq Khan: Reducing and preventing violence in our city is my top priority. This means continuing our work to drive down all types of repeat offending. In London 78% of sentenced violent offenders had at least one other previous offence, showing the clear link between the risk of reoffending and the risk of violence. Prison needs to punish and reform. It is clear there is very little rehabilitation taking place in prisons or young offenders’ institutions. Reducing reoffending requires strong and coordinated partnerships that include close collaboration with the Probation Service, effective integrated offender management and evidence-based interventions to meet the needs and risk of offenders.
Even though I have very limited powers in this area, I have convened a Reducing Reoffending Board to see what we can do to help. From City Hall, we have introduced GPS tagging for persistent knife crime and domestic abuse offenders with more than 800 offenders tagged to date. In partnership with the Government, we have also commissioned a new £3million centre in Newham, the first of its kind, to provide young adults on probation with specialist support to reduce their reoffending. Further, my Prison Pathfinder Programme has invested £700,000 in two London prisons, Isis and Wormwood Scrubs, to provide targeted violence reduction interventions. I have also provided £5million for the rehabilitation of female offenders, and led on the development of a blueprint that pioneers a gendered approach to reducing women’s reoffending. Funding for reduced reoffending is set by central Government and I welcome the recent reunification of the Probation Service after its catastrophic privatisation.
As Mayor, I am doing all I can to bring partners together and invest in innovation and effective practice, which has seen the start of a reduction in reoffending in London, which I am sure we will all welcome. Last week I joined FredSirieix, famous maîtred’ of First Dates fame, to open a prisoner-run restaurant at Wormwood Scrubs, which £108,000 of City Hall funding has helped to transform into a high street-style training restaurant. The aim is to help break the cycle of reoffending by supporting prisoners as they transition to life after release.
However, there is much more to do. A proper national approach to rehabilitation must include proper investment in effective interventions, increased resources for persistent and violent offenders, and support for the transition from youth to adult support. I hope to work with the Government and Members of the Assembly to provide what is needed for London.

Nicholas Rogers: Good morning, MrMayor, and thank you very much for the answer. You mentioned your Newham scheme. I wondered if you could perhaps give us just a few more details about the scheme, how it is progressing, whether there have been any early results and whether there are any plans to expand that across London at all?

Sadiq Khan: The Newham scheme is a hub where we get young adults to have a one-stop shop in relation to help. It is a pilot scheme, and the Government provided a lot of the funding. The Government is keen to see with us if it can make a difference.
One of the things that you will be aware of from your interest in this area is the fragmentation in relation to what support you need. Often - and I am not making a generalisation for the sake of it but just to make the point - people who need help have chaotic lifestyles and it is difficult for them to get assistance. We have to make it as easy as possible. It is too early to have any results that are properly verified in relation to assessment, but we are hopeful this scheme in that part of London will make a real difference.
The key thing is that transition from adolescence to adulthood. Can we give them the right assistance then? The great phrase used is that people grow out of committing crime. If you can stop somebody being a
first-time offender by 18, you have achieved the mission. If you stop that person committing their first offence by 18, they have made that transition to adulthood without reoffending. I am more than happy to give an update as soon as we have one.

Nicholas Rogers: I appreciate it is quite early. The scheme started in July [2021]. Do you have a timescale of when you will start to assess that scheme and assess its effectiveness?

Sadiq Khan: Yes. We will get raw data in the next few months, which I am happy to share as long as the Member appreciates it is raw data that has to be verified and checked. The Home Office, as you would appreciate when it comes to Home Office funding, has a number of KPIs and metrics with timelines. The Home Office is also keen to examine which parts of the country have schemes that work better than others so that when it comes to additional funding, it supports those schemes that are clearly working and probably does not support schemes that are not.
I am hoping Newham is one of the schemes that works. You will appreciate the challenge in London is there are so many housing providers. We have 32 boroughs and housing associations. One of the big issues is a lack of housing, which is a different issue to other parts of the country, where there is more housing. There are differences in London. As soon as I have results, I am more than happy to share them with the Member.

Nicholas Rogers: Thank you. I would appreciate that. On another topic, I am sure you appreciate that mental health issues are a huge problem amongst offenders. There are lots of statistics on this, some that jump out at me: 64% of male prisoners have a diagnosed personality disorder and 51% of female prisoners suffer from depression. That is obviously troubling for many reasons, not least when they finish their sentences and go back out into the community.
What work are you doing with the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) and the VRU to help
ex-offenders with mental health issues?

Sadiq Khan: There are two big issues that really worry me that we can make a difference on. One is mental ill health in our secure estate. The other is lack of numeracy and literacy. Many people inside prisons and young offenders’ institutions have the reading age or the numeracy of somebody aged 11 and so their ability to get a job is limited.
What we are trying to do is to do work inside the secure estate. Even though it is not directly speaking our responsibility, they are going to at some stage leave the secure estate and become Londoners. As recently as yesterday I spoke with the National Health Service (NHS). [Dr] MartinGriffiths [CBE], who is the Clinical Director of Violence Reduction, is doing a lot of work now, therapeutic assistance, therapeutic work inside the secure estate, particularly around mental ill health, to give those in the secure estate the help they need whilst they are there, but also make sure once they leave the prison or young offenders’ institution that help is there in the community as well. Here is an irony; you get more assistance in the secure estate for mental ill health than you do when you have been released. That cannot be right. We are trying to make sure there is
joined-upness.
This money, by the way, came from a combination of the Home Office and the [Operation] Vanguard endowment scheme as well. We were very pleased to be successful in our bid. That is just beginning now, but again, bearing in mind your interest in this area, I am more than happy for you to speak with the team to see what they are doing. It is a really important point because, as in my main answer, too many of those whom we arrest and charge with a violent offence have previously been convicted and so something is going wrong in relation to reducing reoffending.

Nicholas Rogers: Thank you. I agree with that. Some research in America showed recently that 5% of criminal offenders are committing 50% of crime in certain cities. I would appreciate if we could set that meeting up. That would be great.